Meetings
by FyreBrande
Summary: Fem!Cousland and Nathaniel drabbles, just following the course of their friendship. Title is cuz I couldn't think of anthing better. Dragon Age characters and universe don't belong to me.


1.  
The first time he sees her, he's six and a half and she's five months old. Teyrna Eleanor is ecstatic to have a daughter and is more than happy to let his mother hold the baby. When she sits down, he catches a glimpse of Rielle, and-far as babies go-she's pretty cute, he guesses. But he quickly gets tired of listening to his mother gush about how she's so adorable, she looks like her mother, Rielle is such a pretty name, blah, blah, blah and goes to find Fergus.

2.  
The next time he sees her, he's thirteen and she's seven-and far more interested in hanging out in the practice area with him and Fergus than attending the etiquette lessons her mother's arranged for her. Her name may mean 'Lady', but she'd rather be a warrior like her brother. She steals Fergus' practice sword and goes after one of the straw dummies, using both hands to swing the wooden blade.

"At the rate she's goin' she'll be able to beat us both by the time she's twelve, Nate," Fergus groans, but he's grinning, and Nathaniel can tell he's proud of his sister.

3.  
Apparently using the longsword as a greatsword showed Rielle her favorite weapon, and the next time he sees her, when he's eighteen and she's twelve, she's standing in the training ring, dulled greatsword hovering an inch from her brother's throat after beating him for the first time.

"Do you surrender?" she laughs, green eyes sparkling as Fergus pulls a face at her.

"Do I have a choice?" he grumbles. "Yes, Ri. I surrender." He sees Nathaniel watching and shoots him a 'what-did-I-tell-you' look. Rielle digs her sword into the ground and helps her brother to his feet before fixing her ruined bun, twisting the rich blonde strands back up in the simple hairstyle that has Teyrna Eleanor throwing up her hands in despair.

4.  
The next time he sees her is from opposite sides of prison bars. She's on the outside, arms crossed and hip out as she-despite the disbelief of her second-in-command and his own vehement objections-conscripts him into the Grey Wardens. He doesn't want to join the order or follow the woman responsible for his father's death, but it's as good a way of redeeming the family name as any other. He actually ends up liking it, especially after Delilah fills him in on just how evil their father really was. Rielle is more than willing to treat him as _Nathaniel_, not just a Howe, and gives him plenty of opportunities to redeem his family's name. Her friendship with a Howe has some nobles grumbling, but Rielle just points out that she's queen, she's capable of making her own decisions, and Nathaniel is _not_ his father.

5.  
After they save Amaranthine and she returns to court, he doesn't see her for quite a while. She shows her trust by leaving him in charge of the Vigil, and they're both busy enough he doesn't see her until she's formally presenting part of his family's land back to him in thanks for saving her brother from a bandit attack. There had been just a few too many for Fergus to handle alone. He didn't save Fergus for any reason other then it being the right thing to do. However, he and Rielle talked about his family losing everything because of what his father did enough times that Nathaniel knows she was just waiting for an excuse to give him back _something_ without further angering the nobles who are already displeased with the King and Queen's decision to loosen restrictions on the elves. Him saving the queen's brother is reason enough. When she sees him at the palace, she winks at him. After the formal ceremony, when he tells her he's going to give the land to Eli, Delilah's son, she smiles and asks him why. He has a feeling she already knows the answer, but he tells her anyway. "All I want is to clear my family's name."

"I think you've done that, Nate."

6.  
The last time he sees her is two months before she disappears from Ferelden, Called to fight darkspawn and die in the Deep Roads like so many Wardens before her. She doesn't seem to mind too much. Ever since Alistair left for his Calling, everyone has noticed how the queen seemed to lose interest in life. She hasn't laughed since then, and even Anders has only managed to pry a couple smiles out of her. The last time _Nathaniel_ made her smile was when he found out she was the one who suggested they put a statue of him outside the castle that was built on the land he passed to Eli. He never was one to complain much, but he doesn't deserve this. However, she feels differently, and all his protests just make her smile and seem more sure of herself. But that was years ago. More than once in the past year or so, Nathaniel's caught her staring at a dried rose preserved in crystal. He knows it's important, but can't bring himself to ask why. From how sadly she stares at it, he's pretty sure he knows anyway. She leaves two months after he returns to Amaranthine. After a couple reports of her being sighted in Redcliffe and then Orzammar, no one hears of her ever again. He knows. He also knows his time will come.

_A/N: So...after playing through Awakening with my Cousland(yes, I used my story/epilogue as basis for this=D), I absolutely fell in love with Nathaniel(still love Alistair, don't worry). First time I've ever** liked** dragging an archer around with me. He's a bit surly when ya first get him, but if you A) talk to him(and are nice) and B)find Delilah, he loses the attitude really quick. Some of the conversations about his father had me wanting to resurrect Rendon so I could kill him **again**- in a much more painful manner. Speaking in character as Rielle, I hate that man more for what he puts his son through than what he does to my family. When you consider that **the **most satisfying part of Origins with her was ramming my greatsword in that scumbag's gut, that says a lot... anyway...end rant. Hope you liked the drabbles! And the numbers are cuz FF still isn't saving divider lines. It's bad enough with just POV changes, but this is really annoying. GRRR._


End file.
